No matter how simple a story is, I always admire filmmakers who make films with a single focal point and try to engage the audience with non-linear storytelling, creating curiosity about what led to that point. There is a sense of honesty in not throwing inane subplots at us in order to incite curiosity. Yamakaathaghi, with all its flaws and limitations, is an honest film.
Yamakaathaghi begins in a village in the Thanjavur district, which is described as a place of no return. There is a deliberate alienation of this village. Typically, in Tamil cinema, someone comes from or goes to Chennai, a foreign return flaunting the sarakku bottle or a scent bottle. The one in Yamakaathaghi is untouched by any kind of sophistication, except for smartphones. Therefore, the problems arising in this village can only have solutions peculiar to its norms and not otherwise. The kind of world-building and a singularly focused narrative are the two major factors working in favour of the film.
Steeped in superstitious beliefs, Leela's family (Roopa Koduvayur) leaves a particular room in their house locked with the door tied with several amulets. Leela's grandmother warns that opening the room will bring bad luck to the family. As the horror film trope has it, the room is thrown open due to certain circumstances. What evil is the family inviting upon itself, and what is left of this family is what Yamakaathaghi is about. Roopa, as Leela, has put out an effective performance in the limited scope her character gets. The same can be said of Anbu (Narendra Prasath). We just see less of Leela and nothing of Anbu. Leela's corpse, reluctant to leave the house seeking justice for her death, has a riveting slow-burn effect, resulting in an engaging first half. The events in the second half ultimately lead to a predictable point. The predictability, however, is not a problem, as the idea of a wronged and departed soul seeking vengeance without the aid and assistance of VFX or SFX was long sold. This treatment comes as a whiff of fresh air after watching countless films of gory-looking apparations making sounds and appearing at the stroke of midnight.
Cast: Roopa Koduvayur, Geetha Kailasam, Raju Rajappan, Narendra Prasath
Director: Peppin George Jeyaseelan
Director Peppin George Jeyaseelan has made every detail and moment count, as there is almost nothing unnecessary he shows about the characters. Be it Leela suffering from asthma and her father's repugnant casteism. In this single event-bound film, we are not just provided with physical details but also the major characters' traits. There are no obvious reasons why Leela's soul has to stay and how she obtains the supernatural power to make her mortal remains immovable. But earlier, we are shown a rebellious Leela, not believing the 'cursed room' story of her grandmother, and she stands up to her father Selvaraj (Raju Rajappan), who slaps and chides her mother Chandra (Geetha Kailasam). Without the need to convince, we believe that yes, the defiant Leelas, who call out nonsense and just won't go silent just because something is a norm, will be ordained powers atypical to deities.
The film is not without flatlines. For instance, there are no clear explanations or precedences as to what dangers will befall the family if the room gets opened. The one-minute exposition in the second half is as convenient as it gets. The buildup in the closed room conjured up to this point crumbles. As I mentioned earlier, the film doesn't have subplots. It is a good decision and bad in another way. For instance, there is an Amman jewel theft episode that takes place with no action or development, except for three friends/conspirators conducting hushed meetings about their plans. Though this minor episode doesn't distract the attention from the main plot, it could have been a well-made subplot. Instead, this proves to be a pointless introduction to an episode whose resolution is inconsequential.
Yamakaathaghi is a breath of fresh air, both with regard to the novelty given to a horror story and the solutions, however cinematic, to social issues like caste discrimination. However, some ineffective writing choices make it difficult to fully embrace the film.